By Steve Huffman
shuffman@salisburypost.com
Salisbury, a team that usually lives and dies by the run, shook things up a bit Friday night, passing 12 times in the first half en route to a 45-21 win over West Stanly.
Seven of those first-half passes found their mark.
“We had more yards passing in the first half than we had rushing,” said Hornet coach Joe Pinyan. “How many times are you going to see that happen?”
Not many.
The Hornets (3-0) ran roughshod over the visiting Colts (1-2) in the early going, building a 31-0 halftime lead in a game that was expected to be far closer.
“They’re just a well-oiled machine on offense,” said West coach Mark Little. “They got to the corner before we could get anybody out there.”
The Hornets took the opening kick and needed just seven plays to score, Isaiah Whitaker capping the drive with a 1-yard dive up the middle.
More of the same followed.
The Hornets held the Colts without a first down on their first possession and took over at West’s 45 after a short punt. This time, Salisbury’s drive lasted just six plays, quarterback John Knox carrying 2 yards for the score.
“On film they looked good,” Knox said of the Colts. “We thought we were going to have our hands full tonight.”
He admitted he enjoyed the opportunity to pass. Knox connected with AJ Ford twice in the first half, one going 65 yards for a touchdown on a play where Ford juked around and high-stepped over numerous defenders.
Ford was also involved in one of the Hornets’ more showy plays, a hook-and-ladder special where Romar Morris grabbed the pass, then lateraled to Ford.
The play covered 31 yards.
“We practice it every Thursday,” Knox said. “It’s fun. We want to show everyone we’re not just a running team. We can throw, too, which surprises a lot of people.”
Ford scored twice, carrying from 2 yards out in the second half in addition to that first-half touchdown pass.
“We had a good time out here tonight,” he said.
Dario Hamilton also scored twice for the Hornets and grabbed a first-half pass.
Kicker Frankie Cardelle was perfect on six PATs and added a 35-yard field goal in the second quarter. None of Cardelle’s kickoffs were returned, all sailing into the end zone for touchbacks.
Pinyan said the Hornets were intent on proving something following last week’s 27-18 win over Carson.
“Carson stymied us on the run,” Pinyan said. “I want everyone to understand we can throw. We’ve got some dangerous receivers on this team and John does a good job of getting the ball to them.”
West battled back to an extent in the second half, taking the opening kick and moving 80 yards in 12 plays, the drive aided by a 15-yard personal foul against the Hornets.
But Salisbury was substituting liberally throughout the second half. Pinyan noted that his jayvee squad didn’t have a game this week, so he gave a number of those underclassmen the opportunity to see varsity action.
“That’s a big deal to those kids,” Pinyan said. “Everyone likes to play on Friday night.”
West lost three fumbles, with Salisbury’s mammoth middle guard, Kiontae Rankin, a 6-foot-4, 385-pound sophomore, coming up with two recoveries.
Asked if Rankin in fact had two recoveries, Pinyan said, “He got one, I know, because the ball was flat after he fell on it.”
–
NOTE: Pierre Jimenez had Salisbury’s other fumble recovery.